When Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler walked into Chris’ Hotdogs in Montgomery one Wednesday, he checked to see if his picture was still framed and hung among the depictions of Alabama politicians that crowded the yellow walls.

Zeigler’s picture, which had once hung near the front of the restaurant next to the governor’s, had been moved to the back near the restrooms ever since Zeigler filed an ethics complaint against Robert Bentley, alleging that the then-governor was using state money for an extramarital affair.

Zeigler said the placement of his picture next to the governor’s had become awkward.

Zeigler, who was elected State Auditor in 2014, is seeking re-election Nov. 6 against Democrat Miranda Joseph, who ran against him four years ago. Zeigler beat her with 63 percent of the vote.

Most of Zeigler’s track record from his first term is marked by numerous disagreements with Bentley. Zeigler said he helped block the passing of Bentley’s 2017 proposal of a bond issuance to fund the construction of four new prisons in the state to address inmate overcrowding.

"I got a lot of information about the problems in the Bentley prison proposal, got them to media and different key legislators, and the thing passed one house and was about to pass another house, but the rug got pulled out from under it, and it didn’t pass,” Zeigler said. “So, I feel like I saved the state $800 million.”

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Jim Zeigler(Photo: Alex Hosey, Special to the Advertiser)

Despite Zeigler’s role in opposing the proposal to construct new prisons, Zeigler said prison overcrowding is one of the main issues that faces Alabama today.

"We have 21,000 prisoners in prisons designed for 13,000,” Zeigler said. “If we don’t solve that problem, a federal judge will eventually order a release to get down to 135 percent of the federal guidelines.”

Zeigler also said he’s concerned about the state’s rising crime rate, particularly in certain cities.

“Montgomery is one, Birmingham is one, and I haven’t seen any figures, but there have been an alarming number of killings in Lee County,” Zeigler said. “The problem is the criminals aren’t staying on their own turf. They aren’t staying there in the rough areas. They go over in the safe areas, so that’s a problem.”

Zeigler said one of the most important issues Alabamians must deal with today is the state’s infrastructure and traffic congestion and said he would soon come out with a plan to fund improvements.

The main duty of the state auditor’s office is to keep up with items owned by the state — everything from guns to furniture to laptops. Zeigler, however, has used his Capitol office just down the hall from the governor’s to address issues far beyond his limited duties. He says he will keep pushing the limits in a second term.

“I ran in 2014 on a platform that I would add a role to the state auditor’s office that has not been done in the past, and I would serve as a watchman against waste and mismanagement in the government, and I’ve done that for three and a half years now,” Zeigler said.

Editor’s note: The Montgomery Advertiser has partnered with Auburn University’s journalism department to provide more coverage of the upcoming election. Students are profiling some of the state office candidates for the newspaper, and they will be covering several races on Election Day.

Jim Zeigler

Age: 70

Profession: State auditor, retired lawyer

Family: Married to Jackie Zeigler, member of the Alabama Board of Education, two children

Education: B.A. from University of Alabama in 1972 and law degree from Faulkner University's Jones School of Law in 1978.

Party: Republican

Offices held/offices sought: Member of the Alabama Public Service Commission from 1974-78. Ran unsuccessfully for president of the Public Service Commission in 1976, the state Board of Education in 1978, the Alabama Supreme Court in 1982, state treasurer in 1986, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals in 1996, the PSC in 1998 and state auditor in 2002. Elected state auditor in 2014.

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